Latest news with #SlawoszUznanski-Wisniewski
Daily Tribune
27-06-2025
- Science
- Daily Tribune
Spaceship carrying astronauts from India, Poland, Hungary, docks with ISS
A US commercial mission carrying astronauts from India, Poland and Hungary docked with the International Space Station yesterday, marking the first time in decades that these nations have sent crew to space. Axiom Mission 4, or Ax-4, lifted off early Wednesday from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a brand-new SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule riding a Falcon 9 rocket. Onboard are pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of India; mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary; and Commander Peggy Whitson of the United States, a former NASA astronaut now with Axiom Space, which organizes private spaceflights. The capsule, the fifth and final Dragon in the SpaceX fleet, was christened 'Grace' after reaching orbit. It made 'soft capture' with the orbital lab yesterday at 6:31 am Eastern Time (1031 GMT). 'We are honoured to be here, thank you,' Whitson said over a live stream of the docking. The crew will complete docking procedures and spend about 14 days aboard the station, conducting some 60 experiments -- including studies on microalgae, sprouting salad seeds, and the hardiness of microscopic tardigrades in space. The last time India, Poland or Hungary sent people to space, their current crop of astronauts had not yet been born -- and back then they were called cosmonauts, as they all flew on Soviet missions before the fall of the Iron Curtain.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Spaceship with Indian, Polish, Hungarian astronauts docks at ISS
(NewsNation) — A U.S. commercial mission carrying astronauts from India, Poland and Hungary docked at the International Space Station on Thursday, reports said. The mission marked the first time in decades that those nations have sent a crew to space. Axiom Mission 4 took off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday aboard a brand-new SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. Mysterious radio burst came from dead 1960s satellite The crew included pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of India and mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary. Cmdr. Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut now with Axiom Space, which organizes private spaceflights, was also aboard the spaceship. 'This is an ultimate scientific laboratory where we come to do science, to test the technologies of our countries, to do technology demonstrations and science outreach that I can't wait to do for the next two weeks,' Uznański-Wisniewski said. 'And we will all try to do our best representing our countries.' Trump's term a 'rough time for science in America': Ex-NASA astronaut The astronauts had not yet been born the last time their countries sent people into orbit; all three nations used Soviet vehicles to reach space before the end of the Cold War. Poland said it spent 65 million euros on its astronaut's flight, while Hungary secured a $100 million deal with Axiom in 2022. India has not officially commented on its expenses. The crew will spend about 14 days aboard the station, conducting approximately 60 experiments. They'll be examining sprouting salad seeds, microalgae and the hardiness of microscopic tardigrades in space. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Tribune
26-06-2025
- Science
- Daily Tribune
Axiom Mission 4, or Ax-4, was launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida
A US commercial mission carrying crew from India, Poland and Hungary blasted off to the International Space Station yesterday, taking astronauts from these countries to space for the first time in decades. Axiom Mission 4, or Ax-4, launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 2:31 am (0631 GMT), with a brand-new SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule riding atop a Falcon 9 rocket. The vehicle is scheduled to dock with the orbital lab on Thursday at approximately 1100 GMT and remain there for up to 14 days. Aboard the spacecraft were pilot Shubhanshu Shukla of India; mission specialists Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary; and commander Peggy Whitson of the United States, a former NASA astronaut who now works for the company Axiom Space, which organizes private spaceflights, among other things. The last time India, Poland or Hungary sent people to space, their current crop of astronauts had not yet been born -- and back then they were called cosmonauts, as they all flew on Soviet missions before the fall of the Iron Curtain. Shukla became the first Indian in space since Rakesh Sharma, an air force pilot who traveled to the Salyut 7 space station in 1984 as part of a Soviet-led initiative to help allied countries access space.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Axiom-4 astronaut crew: Spacewalker, fighter pilot, skyjumper, & radiation specialist
Each Axiom-4 astronaut brings unique expertise, from long-duration spaceflight to cutting-edge engineering, forging ambitious bold frontiers in private human spaceflight . Peggy Whitson , 65 | Mission Commander She boasts the most extensive flight record of any American or female astronaut, having spent 675 days in space across three ISS missions and Axiom Mission 2. She twice commanded ISS, performed 10 spacewalks totalling over 60 hours. The first woman to head Nasa's Astronaut Office and to command a private spaceflight, she has a doctorate in biochemistry. With 38 years of service, she now directs human spaceflight at AxiomSpace. Shubhanshu Shukla, 39 | Mission Pilot by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Never turn off your computer again, if you own a mouse Panzer Rush Play Now Undo Shubhanshu Shukla was chosen as one of four astronauts for Isro's Gaganyaan spaceflight . Born in 1985, he was commissioned into the IAF fighter wing in 2006 and has amassed over 2,000 flight hours. Selected in 2019 for astronaut training at Star City in Russia, Shukla completed rigorous scientific, technical and survival programmes under Russian tutors. Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, 41 | Mission Specialist Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, an engineer from Poland, earned a place in ESA's 2022 Astronaut Reserve from over 22,500 applicants. Holding dual master's degrees from Lodz University of Technology and Universite de Nantes, and a doctorate in radiation-tolerant space systems from Aix-Marseille University, he combines academic expertise with practical experience at CERN. As Reliability Expert and later engineer in charge of the Large Hadron Collider, he oversaw continuous operations of the world's most powerful particle accelerator. Tibor Kapu, 34 | Mission Specialist Tibor Kapu, a mechanical engineer from Hungary, was selected in 2023 for the Hungarian to Orbit programme from 247 candidates. Born in 1991, he earned bachelor's and master's degrees in mechanical engineering and polymer technology at Budapest University of Technology and Economics. His career spans automotive hybrid battery development, pharmaceutical logistics, and space radiation protection research at an aerospace firm. He's an avid skydiver with 38 jumps and half-marathon runner.
NDTV
25-06-2025
- Science
- NDTV
Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom 4 Mission Creates History For 3 Countries
New Delhi: The Axiom 4 launch, a commercial human spaceflight mission involving Axiom Space, NASA, and SpaceX, has scripted history in more ways than one. Not only has it been a historic moment for India, Poland, and Hungary, which have sent astronauts to space for the first time in nearly half a century, it has had symbolic significance for Europe and Asia. At the time of this report, the four astronauts onboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule are orbiting Earth, notching up speed to be in-sync with the International Space Station - their destination for the next 15 days. As they whirl around the 'Pale Blue Dot' close to 16 times per day, India's Shubhanshu Shukla, Poland's Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Hungary's Tibor Kapu see a world that is vastly different from when the last explorers from their countries ventured into Space. The last time India, Poland, or Hungary sent people to space, their current crop of astronauts had not yet been born - and back then they were called cosmonauts, as they all flew on Soviet missions, with the Iron Curtain still intact, diving Europe in two. Back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the world was still in the midst of the Cold War. The last Indian to look down at planet Earth from the dark, enveloping space surrounding it, was Rakesh Sharma, an Indian Air Force pilot who traveled to the Salyut 7 space station in 1984 as part of a Soviet-led initiative to help friendly nations access Space. Similarly, the last Polish person in Space was Miroslaw Hermaszewski, who traveled to the Salyut 6 space station aboard the Soyuz 30 capsule in 1978. While the last Hungarian national in Space was Bertalan Farkasm who also went to the Salyut 6 space station, aboard the Soyuz 36 in 1980. But this mission, especially for India, is no longer a one-off. India's space agency, ISRO, sees the Axiom 4 mission as a key stepping stone toward its own maiden crewed mission, planned for 2027 under the Gaganyaan programme, meaning "sky craft". India also plans to set up its own space station over the next decade. In his first words after the lift-off, Shubhanshu Shukla said, "What a fantastic ride" in Hindi."This isn't just the start of my journey to the International Space Station - it is the beginning of India's human space programme." Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the successful launch on X, saying, "He carries with him the wishes, hopes and aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians. Wish him and other astronauts all the success!" For SpaceX too, The Axiom 4 mission was historic in a way, as the mission marks the debut of the fifth and final Crew Dragon vehicle, which was named 'Grace' after it reached orbit joining Endeavour, Resilience, Endurance, and Freedom in the active fleet. SpaceX ultimately plans to phase out its current vehicles in the 2030s in favour of 'Starship', its giant next-generation rocket currently in development. The astronauts are scheduled to dock with the International Space Station on Thursday, at approximately 1100 hrs GMT (1630 hrs IST). It will remain docked for two weeks before bring the astronauts back to planet Earth. Praising it, mission commander Peggy Whitson, who is leading the crew, said, "It reflects the elegance with which we move through space against the backdrop of Earth." She added that "It speaks to the refinement of our mission, the harmony of science and spirit and the unmerited favor we carry with humility." SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, which placed the Crew Dragon capsule in low Earth orbit, returned to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida 8 minutes later. The lift-off happened at 2:31 am local time (0631 hrs GMT, 1201 hrs IST).
